Discussion
Hi all,
I’m just after some advice on my mum. She’s just turned 77 and over the last 4 ish years we have noticed a few memory issues. We’ve had all the tests and assessments done and for now they don’t think it’s dementia etc. My mums a very anxious persons and lives alone, albeit 5 mins round the corner. She’s goes out a couple of times a week and I see her 3 times a weeks for food shopping trips and dinner at our house with kids. She is currently on sertraline and on the back of memory clinic appointment they have asked for her dose to be increased to see if that helps.
I’m on here to ask what people in my situation have done to get there parents using there brain more, she’s fallen out of love with reading but I’m open to suggestions, the nurse said it’s very much a case of use it or loose it. My mum is very intelligent being a retired doctor but has lost her way a bit in terms of activities using her brain.
Thanks
I’m just after some advice on my mum. She’s just turned 77 and over the last 4 ish years we have noticed a few memory issues. We’ve had all the tests and assessments done and for now they don’t think it’s dementia etc. My mums a very anxious persons and lives alone, albeit 5 mins round the corner. She’s goes out a couple of times a week and I see her 3 times a weeks for food shopping trips and dinner at our house with kids. She is currently on sertraline and on the back of memory clinic appointment they have asked for her dose to be increased to see if that helps.
I’m on here to ask what people in my situation have done to get there parents using there brain more, she’s fallen out of love with reading but I’m open to suggestions, the nurse said it’s very much a case of use it or loose it. My mum is very intelligent being a retired doctor but has lost her way a bit in terms of activities using her brain.
Thanks
I'd echo crafts and "thinking" type activities.
I also think there's a lot to be said for any local activity groups or even just getting into the habit of popping to the shops/newsagent/whatever to buy something/anything that just gets you out the house.
It's very easy to slip into that habit of just sitting there doing very little.
I also think there's a lot to be said for any local activity groups or even just getting into the habit of popping to the shops/newsagent/whatever to buy something/anything that just gets you out the house.
It's very easy to slip into that habit of just sitting there doing very little.
Does she mix much with people of her own age? Check out local U3A activities. Tai Chi is highly recommended for both moving and social but also if she's interested in the human body still, there's a whole load of studying of biomechanics and movement, not to mention the mind-body connection.
It's an awful stage of life. We have both sets of parents still with us, ranging from 79 to 88.
MiL is 88, has Vascular Dementia & Alzheimer's. Still knows who we are, but she's a shell in reality. No interest in anything.
FiL is also 88. Had a botched knee replacement 2.5 years ago, got sepsis and pneumonia, spent 5 months in hospital, deteriorated massively by the time he came out. Mentally he's deteriorated, but passes the memory tests, but he's not right. Also physically, dropped from 11 to 9 stone through Sarcopenia.
Collectively they do nothing, and it's the key to their deterioration.
Meanwhile, my folks are good. 79 and 83. Mum has Parkinson's but controlled with medication, my dad is really quite well. BUT.....they do loads. They walk to get a coffee, or shopping every day - 2 mile round trip. They are active with their church, big social circle. They have a day trip out every week. Sing with a couple of choirs. Play bridge. They run a lunch-club..... this is the secret to their well-being.
SO.... My advice, OP. Persuading your mum to do crosswords or jigsaws etc is difficult, even as (or especially as) a former GP. But get her doing things, organising things, getting involved. in other words, living.
MiL is 88, has Vascular Dementia & Alzheimer's. Still knows who we are, but she's a shell in reality. No interest in anything.
FiL is also 88. Had a botched knee replacement 2.5 years ago, got sepsis and pneumonia, spent 5 months in hospital, deteriorated massively by the time he came out. Mentally he's deteriorated, but passes the memory tests, but he's not right. Also physically, dropped from 11 to 9 stone through Sarcopenia.
Collectively they do nothing, and it's the key to their deterioration.
Meanwhile, my folks are good. 79 and 83. Mum has Parkinson's but controlled with medication, my dad is really quite well. BUT.....they do loads. They walk to get a coffee, or shopping every day - 2 mile round trip. They are active with their church, big social circle. They have a day trip out every week. Sing with a couple of choirs. Play bridge. They run a lunch-club..... this is the secret to their well-being.
SO.... My advice, OP. Persuading your mum to do crosswords or jigsaws etc is difficult, even as (or especially as) a former GP. But get her doing things, organising things, getting involved. in other words, living.
My SIL is in her 70's retired years ago and my BIL and SIL both have smartphones now, don't get me wrong she has no idea on how to actually use her phone, but I've downloaded a few games, scrabble, sudoku etc and she plays them all the time much to the annoyance of my BIL.
She's pretty damn whitty all of the time, I'm not saying this has helped but it cannot be a bad thing as you get into that stage of life.
She's pretty damn whitty all of the time, I'm not saying this has helped but it cannot be a bad thing as you get into that stage of life.
Grandma struggled to follow TV programmes until she discovered quiz shows where questions & answers happened quickly (didn’t matter if they were repeats!!)
Sodoku switched to
Word searches
Then colouring
A white board in the house helped with tasks / reminders
We could add stuff too, it evolved from her planning her shopping lists to us planning her meals/day
Sodoku switched to
Word searches
Then colouring
A white board in the house helped with tasks / reminders
We could add stuff too, it evolved from her planning her shopping lists to us planning her meals/day
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